Tracking Down Citation Information

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Transcript of Tracking Down Citation Information

What goes in the in-text citation?Well, that depends.

1. What kind of Publication Is this?Magazine?Newspaper?Journal?Book?Reference work? (I hope not)How do I find out how to cite it?1. Open your Pocket Style Manual2. Turn to the MLA section3a. Look up that kind of publication3b. Look up database sources4a. Cite the first part (up to the word "print") according to the publication type4b. Cite the second part according to the database source informationWhat about Page Numbers?The page number must be the ORIGINAL PUBLICATION'S PAGE NUMBERCAN I USE AN ONLINE CITE-IT PROGRAM?Sure, but...How Much Quoted Material Should I Use?Tracking Down Citation InformationHow do I KNOW what kind of source?1. Look at it. (check the last page?)2. Google it.Is there an easier way?Yep. Get the media center guide.It's got information for easily citing database sources.If you have an author and a page number:Author in the signal phrase, page number in parentheses.Example: Smith says, "Just go away" (45).

If you have an author but no page number:Article title in signal phrase, author name in parenthesesExample: The article "Goodbyes" says, "Just go away" (Smith).If you have no author and no page number:Ask yourself "Is this really a good source to use?If not, find a better source.If so, then cite it like this:Publication title in italics in signal phrase, article title in quotations in parentheses.Example: An article in The Daily Mail reported, "Just Go Away" ("Goodbyes").If it's a magazine, it will be a number (45).If it's a newspaper it will usually be a letter/number combo (A3).If it's an online source that was never in print, it likely won't be there at all.DO NOT USE THE PAGE NUMBERS IT PRINTED ON. THAT'S PURE FOOLISHNESSDouble check itUsually, you have to plug in all the info anyways, so why not just do it yourselfYour head is still on the line. Don't blame the software if you do it wrong.Use no more than is necessary.

Mortar holds bricks together. A wall cannot be made of mortar.Sources are the mortar to your bricks.If that's too abstract for you, sources should not make up more than 20% of your paper.